20 May , 2015
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan was created in the name of Islam, but Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation, wanted a secular Muslim state and not a theocratic Islamic state controlled by fundamentalists. In 1947, when Pakistan was carved out, the population was not fundamentalist, but with passage of time, the inhabitants have become more and more fanatical, turning into religious zealots.
The majority of Pakistanis feel that total Islamisation of the country would be disastrous.
Islamisation was used as a tool by General Zia to legitimise his rule. In his speeches, press conferences and deliberations, he criticised politicians for not promulgating Islamic laws. The Shias, who are 30–35 million in Pakistan, opposed the implementation of Nizam-e- Mustafa as well as the wanton killings of the Shias by Sunni extremists.
The majority of Pakistanis feel that total Islamisation of the country would be disastrous. However, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) supports terrorism and has launched a lowintensity war against India.
Pakistan, which spread terrorism in other countries, is presently the worst sufferer of terrorism. Hence, the government has to adopt stringent measures so that the country gets rid of terrorism. Madrasas that preach fundamentalism and extremism and make the society radical must be closed, or the syllabi of these madrasas may be changed drastically.
Pakistan should discontinue playing the China card and stop considering India as its enemy. All the training camps run by the ISI or by various terrorist outfits and involved in training terrorists should be closed.
Several Muslim states in the world render special support to Pakistan because the country was created in the name of Islam. Pakistan also used Islam to acquire support of the Muslim world, including Arab countries.
The Pakistan government or some non-governmental organisation (NGO) should start ‘de-radicalisation’ programmes in the country.
Introduction
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has a special status as it is the only country in the world that was created in the name of Islam and hence cannot separate itself from religion. It is, however, mentioned that Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation, was not a fundamentalist and had visualised Pakistan as a secular Muslim state and not an Islamic state or a theocratic state controlled by fundamentalists. He used Islam to garner support of Muslims in British India for his Muslim League Party so that a new state for Muslims can be carved out. It was the basic reason that several Muslim ulemas opposed the creation of Pakistan. In 1947, when Pakistan was created, the population was not fundamentalist, but with passage of time, the inhabitants became more and more fanatical, turning into religious zealots.
Once Pakistan was created, ulemas stressed that the country must be an Islamic state and sharia laws should be implemented. Nonetheless, the constitutions of 1956 and 1962 have not imposed Islamic laws in the country.
Several Muslim states in the world render special support to Pakistan because the country was created in the name of Islam. Pakistan also used Islam to acquire support of the Muslim world, including Arab countries. Not only this, Islam was projected as an important factor to integrate various ethnic groups that have separatists’ propensity. The Islam-pasand (religious) parties also played a vital role in the political, social and economic sphere of the country.
The appalling ISI wanted to utilise jihadists for terrorist activities in J&K, but they were so brainwashed that a few went to Kashmir, a few went to other countries but a large number of them started terrorist activities in Pakistan itself.
Reasons for the Spread of Fundamentalism in Pakistan
Islamic fundamentalism augmented in Pakistan due to poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and the incapability of society to redress the problems of masses. Religious organisations, including a few terrorist outfits, provided the poor masses hospitals, education, food and dwelling places. The ruling class, whether military or civil, also exploited religion to give legitimacy and popularity to its regime. Instead of curbing the menace of fundamentalism, it propagated extremism and a belief that if the boy will memorise Quran, he and his family will straightaway go to heaven. Large numbers of madrasas were opened where financial assistance was rendered by rich Muslims of Pakistan and abroad.
The appalling ISI wanted to utilise jihadists for terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, but they were so brainwashed that a few went to Kashmir, a few went to other countries but a large number of them started terrorist activities in Pakistan itself.
Pakistan shares borders with Afghanistan and Iran and has a close relationship with Saudi Arabia. All these countries spread Islamic fundamentalism albeit of different types. In fact, the spread of fundamentalism is a worldwide phenomenon. It is probably more in the Muslim world, including Pakistan. However, no religion teaches terrorism. The leaders in Pakistan spread fundamentalism as they wanted to get foreign assistance and justify their regime. Fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism have grown so much that now it has become difficult for the Pakistani government to control this menace, which wants to take the society to pre-Islamic days.
…Bhutto was leaning towards Islam because of compulsion and not because of conviction.
Islamisation was used as a Tool to Legitimise the Rule
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, an elected prime minister of the country, also leaned towards Islam when he realised that his socialist policies had become unsuccessful and he was losing public support. He stressed that his socialism is akin to the philosophy of Islam. In 1974, to appease Muslim fundamentalists, the Pakistani parliament under his leadership declared the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, which is approximately 3–5 million, as non-Muslims. Saudi Arabia was also putting pressure on Bhutto to declare the Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslims, and it paid a huge amount to Pakistan for declaring the Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslims. Once the Ahmadiyyas were declared non-Muslims, they could not go for Haj, which pleased the hard-core Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia. It delighted the Pakistani army too as the army had more money to buy arms and ammunition. The status of Bhutto had also gone up in the Muslim world. In 1977, he declared Friday as a weekly holiday.
Bhutto, although a great charismatic leader, could not convince the local populace that he was sincere about imposing Islamic laws. He was Western educated, and his background, including his Westernised lifestyle, was a clear indication that he was leaning towards Islam because of compulsion and not because of conviction. Hence his opposition continued till General Zia-ul-Haq, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, captured power through a coup d’état on 5 July 1977.
The regime of General Zia was facing trouble from all sides and needed legitimacy. He took the help of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) to give authenticity to his government as he never allowed free, fair and democratic elections. Zia started the process of Islamisation of the country with a view to give legal status to his military regime within the country as well as in the international arena. He also wanted to garner support of the lower classes and of the urban middle class by starting the procedure of the implementation of Nizam-e-Mustafa.
The fundamentalism and extremism initiated by Zia suited Western countries, especially the United States, and Muslim countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, since the object was harming the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
Besides getting authenticity for his rule, Zia also wanted to demonstrate to the masses that so far, all the rulers had only made phony promises as they were not truthful about the execution of Islamic laws in the country.
Nine political parties constituted the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) and led the agitation against Bhutto that culminated in the military takeover by General Zia. The PNA had a few religious parties also, and the common agenda of the PNA was the adoption of Nizam-e-Mustafa.
Implementation of Islamic Laws by General Zia
The fundamentalism and extremism initiated by Zia suited Western countries, especially the United States, and Muslim countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, since the object was harming the Soviet Union in Afghanistan. All these forces portrayed these extremists as jihadists who were fighting against infidels and to defend Islam; hence, the belief was propagated that if these jihadists were killed in the holy war, they will instantly go to heaven.
Zia, in his speeches, press conferences and deliberations, stressed that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and hence Pakistani rulers must promulgate Nizam-e-Mustafa in the country. He criticised Pakistani politicians, especially Pakistan Peoples Party and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, for not fulfilling the desire of the creators of Pakistan by promulgating Islamic laws in Pakistan. He established sharia benches and executed several Islamic laws in the country.
Zia made radical changes in criminal law and penal code. More emphasis was laid on wearing of the national dress. It was compulsory to wear the national or regional dress on Independence Day.
He made drastic changes in the educational policy of Pakistan. He barred the opening of new English medium schools and started several new madrasas of Deobandi faith. According to a report, under Zia’s regime, there were more than 45,000 madrasas in Pakistan. Deobandi madrasas helped strengthen Sipah-i-Sahaba, a Sunni outfit that massacred Shia Muslims in several terrorist activities. He also instructed English medium schools to change to Urdu medium. He made Islamic education mandatory in schools and colleges; a paper on Islamic studies was introduced in the competitive examinations also. Zia made radical changes in criminal law and penal code. Use of alcohol was prohibited, and severe punishments, like amputation of limbs, stoning to death and public whipping, were introduced. More emphasis was laid on wearing of the national dress. It was compulsory to wear the national or regional dress on Independence Day.
Friday prayers were made compulsory in regimental mosques of Pakistani defence forces. The Hudood Ordinance was promulgated. The press was stifled and instructed to project Islamic laws. Zia established Islamic Council and sharia courts, which were empowered to declare any law null and void if they were repugnant to the basic tenets of Islam. The laws were made according to the Quran and Sunnah. Zia established sharia benches in high courts, and later the Federal Sharia Court was also established. However, Zia could not dismantle the prevailing judiciary system completely.
Zia created Majlis-e-Shoora (Islamic Parliament), besides constituting several committees, commissions and conferences to spread Islam. He appointed more than 100,000 inspectors to check the people about the observance of namaz by all Pakistanis.
Zia also appointed the Council of Islamic Ideology in June 1981 to give recommendations about the implementation of Islamic laws in the country. The salient features of the recommendations included making people’s participation necessary in Islam. The council also recommended that the presidential form of government is more akin to Islam. It was also mentioned that elections and political parties are against the spirit of Islam.
However, after Zia was killed in a plane crash, the Supreme Court permitted the participation of political parties in elections. In reality, Zia could not impose Islamic laws in letter and spirit, and the judicial system in the country remained more or less intact. Sharia laws were implemented very selectively.
Zia appointed more than 100,000 inspectors to check the people about the observance of namaz by all Pakistanis.
Zia also invited Saudi scholars, and they helped in the promulgation of Islamic laws, including the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance. Islam prohibits taking of interest. However, several Muslim states have formulated laws under which they give interest in the name of participation in the banking system. The National Investment Trust and the Investment Corporation were instructed to impose Islamic laws in the economy of the country. Banks were instructed to deduct zakat, which was distributed to the poor and needy. Ushr, which is a form of agricultural tax, was also collected. However, the Shias resented the collection and disbursement of zakat and ushr as the collections were distributed to the Sunnis only while they were collected from both the Sunnis and the Shias.
ISI Supported Islamisation
The reprehensible ISI selects, brainwashes, trains and finances terrorists and assigns them targets for terrorist activities in India, Afghanistan or any other part of the world. Analysts mention that the ISI and various Pakistani terrorist outfits trained more than one lakh Afghans and Pakistani mujahideen who fought Soviet occupational troops. Analysts feel that the ISI supported more than 30 terrorist organisations, including Harkat-ul- Jihad-I-Islami (HUJI), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), Jaish-e-Mohammad, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM), Hizb-e-Islami, al-Qaeda and Taliban. The aim of these ISIsupported terrorist organisations is to establish an Islamic state in south Asia after converting or slaughtering ‘infidels’ in the region. The religious teachers (moulvis) were able to inculcate fundamentalism so much in Pakistani defence forces that several NCOs and JCOs deserted the Pakistan army to fight the Soviet troops as mujahideen. A few Pakistani army personnel were also killed while fighting Indian troops as mujahideen. The ISI financed and strengthened the madrasas in the country.
Even after withdrawal of Soviet troops, ISI-backed terrorist groups, especially Gulbuddin Hekmatyar–controlled Hizb-i-Islami, refused to cooperate with the Afghan government as the ISI wanted to have total control over the new Afghan regime. Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) was getting liberal financial assistance from the ISI, Saudi Arabia, the Muslim Brotherhood, Osama bin Laden and several rich and fanatic Saudi and other sheikhs of Middle Eastern countries. In fact, Hekmatyar was obeying the instructions of the ISI, which was the prime supplier of arms, ammunition, training and finance.
Several officers of the ISI legitimately believe in the philosophy of jihad. Hence, they support terrorist groups with full zeal and conviction.
The JI, with the active support of the sinister ISI, has recruited large numbers of mujahideen from madrasas. According to reports, the ISI assisted al-Qaeda vigorously in establishing as well as operating training camps in Afghanistan, Pak-occupied-Kashmir and Pakistan. There are also reports that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups were also involved in human trafficking.
Now, the ISI has become a monster and it is a state within state and is fixing its own agenda. Its main agenda is to carry out terrorist activities in other countries, especially in India and Afghanistan. It has reinforced the tradition of madrasas in the country, and the religious fanatics passed out from these terror factories are extensively used by the ISI in carrying out terrorist activities.
Several officers of the ISI legitimately believe in the philosophy of jihad. Hence, they support terrorist groups with full zeal and conviction. The ISI has launched a low-intensity war against India through several terrorist outfits. The ISI needs mujahideen; hence, it is supporting fundamentalism as well as the culture of madrasas.
Role of Madrasas in Spreading Fundamentalism
Madrasas preach fundamentalism, which generates extremism, intolerance and terrorism. Madrasas produce terrorists who kill not only non-Muslimsbut even Muslims of other sects, like Shia and Ahmadiyya. Sometimes, madrasas issue fatwas (ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognised authority) against persons of other sects. According to a report, there are more than 25,000 registered madrasas in Pakistan. However, analysts believe that the number of unregistered madrasas is more than the registered madrasas. Most of the terrorists or founders of terrorist outfits have a close association with madrasas.
These madrasas create Islamic extremists who join various terrorist outfits and are involved in violent activities. The students in these madrasas are taught hatred against non-Muslims as well as against Muslims who are of different sects. Tolerance, which is the greatest virtue of any religion, is not taught in these madrasas. According to estimation, these madrasas have produced more than 1 million students. Unfortunately, these religious institutions have completely radicalised the country.
The Pakistan government is too weak to take action against madrasas as they have large following among the masses due to the rise of fundamentalism in the country.
Children of several Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and the Middle East and young children of Muslim families settled in Europe and America also go to Pakistan to study about Islam in madrasas. A few of them inspired by the teachings of fanatic moulvis (clerics) join terrorist outfits. These misguided youths become terrorists. According to reports, nine terrorists of TTP who massacred 130 children in an army school in Peshawar were from foreign countries, including Chechnya, the Middle East, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.
The Pakistan government is too weak to take action against madrasas as they have large following among the masses due to the rise of fundamentalism in the country. In fact, the Pakistani government must regulate these jihad factories – should investigate their funding and syllabi – where children of poor persons are fully exploited. The government must make laws so that these madrasas are registered and regulated. However, the control should not be only on paper. A large number of madrasas teach the extermination of their opponents. Madrasas should be nationalised, and regular teachers instead of moulvis should be appointed who impart modern education.
A real democracy should be installed in Pakistan, the minorities must be given equal rights and several discriminatory laws againstminorities should be repealed. The administrative machinery must assist civil society groups fighting against the spread of religious extremism.
The Way Forward
Pakistan is the worst sufferer of terrorism, and it is a multidimensional phenomenon that is very well entrenched in the society. Hence, the government requires stringent measures so that the country can get rid of the hazard of terrorism. In fact, fundamentalism generated extremism and it created terrorism. Therefore, Pakistan must close all madrasas, and if this is not feasible, then all those madrasas that preach fundamentalism and extremism, making the society more radical, must be banned.
Pakistan must stop considering India as its enemy and stop helping terrorist outfits which are involved in terrorist activities in India.
Prominent terrorist outfits spread terrorism in the name of Islam by their false interpretation of Islamic tenets. Sensible religious leaders should condemn violence and give discourses against violence, extremism and terrorism. Moderate Islamic clergies should be given protection so that they can condemn terrorists without fear. They must tell the common men that Islam is the religion of peace and brotherhood and there is no place for violence and terrorism in Islam. These talks, lectures and discourses would prevent the common people from becoming fundamentalists or extremists.
The Pakistan government should make drastic changes in the education system of the country. The present curriculum is religion oriented; extra emphasis should be placed on science and technology. The literacy rate of the country, which is extremely dismal, should be improved. More stress should be rendered on girl’s education. Pakistan cannot be out of fundamentalism if half of its population is uneducated.
Pakistan must stop considering India as its enemy and stop helping terrorist outfits which are involved in terrorist activities in India. Prominent India baiters, like Dawood Ibrahim, Kaskar and Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, should be handed over to India so that both countries have cordial relations.
All training centres overtly run by various terrorist outfits but covertly helped by the ISI where terrorists are trained should be closed.
The country should launch poverty-alleviation programmes. Poverty generates fundamentalism, extremism and lastly terrorism.
Pakistan should grant the most favoured nation status to India so that trade between both countries is enhanced and the masses of both nations are benefitted.
Pakistan should stop playing the card of People’s Republic of China (PRC), which wants to hamper economic progress of India and helps Pakistan so that it organises terrorist activities in the country. China does not want cordial relations between India and Pakistan.
There is lot of resentment against the domination of Punjabis in various ethnic groups. The prominent ethnic groups feel that they are not getting their legitimate rights and are exploited by Punjabis. In fact Bangladesh disaffiliated from Pakistan as Bengalis were oppressed. Hence Pakistan should bring its house to order and stop blaming India or Afghanistan for creating any trouble in the country.
The country should launch poverty-alleviation programmes. Poverty generates fundamentalism, extremism and lastly terrorism. Terrorist outfits mostly target poverty-stricken children and their families. These terrorist organisations first brainwash these children and then give financial assistance to the children and their families before utilising them in terrorist activities in Pakistan or abroad.
The government should accept foreign assistance only for the economic development of the country. Most of the Middle East countries are giving financial assistance to various religious organisations involved in spreading fundamentalism in the country. A few Sunni outfits get assistance from Sunni rulers, while Shia organisations get financial aid from Iran. All these countries help out their favourites, but when they fight, Pakistan loses.
Pakistani society is thoroughly radicalised; hence the government or some important NGOs should initiate ‘de-radicalisation’ programmes in the country.
Pakistani society is thoroughly radicalised; hence the government or some important NGOs should initiate ‘de-radicalisation’ programmes in the country. These programmes worked very well in several countries as they gave a second chance in life to quite a few terrorists.
NGOs, with active participation of the government, can also highlight the harmful points of extremism as well as of terrorism, which will counter the malicious propaganda launched by various terrorist outfits to launch jihad against infidels. It may save several youths from turning into terrorists.
NGOs can propagate the reasons of disillusionment of former terrorists, corruption and other negative points of terrorist outfits. These experiences might work as an eye-opener for the persons who are ready to join.
The formation of the National Action Programme (NAP) by the government is a welcome move provided NAP is allowed to function properly. The basic purpose of NAP is to take tough measures against all terrorist outfits. NAP will also take action against the donors to these terror outfits. NAP will try that the courts dispose of cases related to terrorism speedily. The resurface of banned organisations using different names would also be checked. The leaders of these fanatic organisations would not be allowed to give hate speeches.
There should be complete coordination between civil and military leadership. Presently, both Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistani chief of army staff General Raheel Sharif should work in tandem to eradicate terrorism from the country.
Pakistan armed forces have launched operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorists in North Waziristan. It is a big blow to the terrorist organisations and a large number of terrorists were killed. However, the Pakistan army was not honest and it gave time to ‘good Taliban/terrorists’ to run away to Afghanistan.
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